Department of the Environment

HC Deb 13 March 1992 vol 205 c694W

Mr. Blunkett

To ask the Lord President of the Council what proportion of time(a) on the Floor of the House of Commons and (b) in Standing Committee, has been spent on matters under the auspices of the Department of the Environment in the current Session.

Mr. MacGregor

The total time spent on the Floor of the House this Session up to the adjournment of the House on Friday 6 March 1992 was 649 hours and 37 minutes.

The amount of time spent on the Floor of the House on matters falling within the responsibilities of the Department of the Environment was 75 hours and 30 minutes, or 11–6 per cent. of total time on the floor.

The total time spent in Standing Committees up to the adjournment of the House on Friday 6 March 1992 was 491 hours and 13 minutes.

A total of 137 hours and 7 minutes were taken up by matters under the auspices of the Department of the Environment¹. This amounts to 28 per cent. of time spent in Standing Committee this Session.

¹ This figure does not take account of suspensions in Standing Committee. It includes time "shared" with other Departments when a number of statutory instruments are grouped together for debate in a Standing Committee.